He said Argentina, which claims the South Atlantic archipelago,
would use both international and domestic law to pursue the case.

The Falkland Islands Government responded quickly to the legal
challenge.

“The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) fails to see how
drilling is in any way a provocation.

“We have the right to develop our economy, including the
hydrocarbons industry, and we are exercising that right.
Exploration drilling has been happening in Falkland Islands
waters for many years.

“It is worth remembering that it was the Government of
Argentina who walked away from working with the Falkland Islands
on the development of a hydrocarbons industry some years
ago.”

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond also dismissed the move, telling
Sky News: “It is an outrageous piece of bullying and
threatening against the Falkland Islanders’ perfect right to
develop their own economic resources and Argentina needs to stop
this kind of behavior and start acting like a responsible member
of the international community.”

The litigation will center on three UK oil exploration firms:
Premier Oil, Falkland Oil and Gas, and Rockhopper.

Earlier this month the firms reported they had discovered 27.9
meters of net-oil bearing reservoir and 18.5 meters of net
gas-bearing reservoir.

The license area being explored – which lies to the north of the
Falklands – is 40 percent owned by Falklands Oil and Gas, 36
percent by Premier Oil and 24 percent by Rockhopper Exploration.

As the UK general election approaches, Britain has very publicly
reinforced its garrison in the contested South Atlantic
archipelago over which the two countries fought a short but
vicious war 33 years ago this month.

The redeployment last month of two Chinook helicopters, withdrawn
in 2006, and a pledge by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to
spend £180 million over the next 10 years on upgrading Falkland
defenses, both come at a time when advancing UK oil exploration
has become a central component of the 182-year-old colonial
dispute.

Tensions between the countries have waxed and waned in the three
decades since Argentine forces were driven out by a British task
force, but recent leaks by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden
indicate Britain has waged a secret intelligence war throughout
the intervening period.

The intelligence data released by Snowden suggests Britain spied
on the Argentine authorities since at least 2009, preparing
offensive cyber operations to change public opinion regarding the
Falklands, according to the Intercept.